I’ve been MARCHing right through my ante-library

I finally got my reading groove back. Now that I’m truly reading nothing but books that I’m excited about, I am just ripping through my antelibrary!  This social distancing is also helping. I read 11 books at 3,282 pages for an average of 106 pages a day. So here we go!

Where the Crawdads Sing by  Delia Owens (368 pages). This novel told the story of Kya Clark, the Marsh Girl. When Kya was 6, first her mother, then all 4 of her siblings left her alone with her abusive, alcoholic father (who also finally left). So Kya made her own home of sorts in the marshland surrounding the shack she grew up in. Brilliant and beautiful, wild and naive, she fell in love twice. First with Tate, the sweet boy who shared her love of the marsh and taught her to read. But left her for college. And then with Chase, the popular boy who was never faithful to her (or anyone else). In 1969, Chase is found dead at the fire tower in the marsh. With no tracks, no fingerprints, nothing to help solve the murder. But then the Marsh Girl is arrested and tried for the murder. For someone who’s always been free and alone and self reliant, Kya cannot understand what has happened to her. And she cannot allow herself to trust even the people who want to help her. I loved it!  I laughed, I cried. I finished in 3 days. 

Remembrance by Rita Woods (411 pages). This was my Once Upon a Book Club box. So I’ll admit, I’m easily swayed by the promise of gifts. This novel was the intertwined stories of 4 women. Abigail, an enslaved woman belonging to the Rousses in 1791 Haiti and New Orleans and then a free-woman in 1852 Remembrance, Ohio (which she created). Margot, an enslaved woman belonging to the Hannigans (née Rousse) in 1857 New Orleans and then a free-woman in Remembrance. Winter, a free-woman in 1852 Remembrance and modern day Cleveland.  Gaelle, a free-woman in modern day Cleveland after escaping an earthquake destroyed Haiti. These women are all have powers of some sort. And very strong powers at that. And these women are all connected. By their stories, their powers, and one man, Josiah. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would within the first 1/3 of it. And the gifts always help! I finished in 2 days. 

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell (338 pages). London, 1994. Police have found the bodies of Henry and Martina Lamb (former millionaires) and an unknown third man in their Chelsea mansion. Dead of an apparent suicide pact. Missing are the other adults and children who had been living in the house for years, including two of the Lambs’ children. The third, baby Serenity, is found happy and healthy in her crib. Fast forward 25 years. Libby Jones receives a letter from a solicitor, informing her of her inheritance. She is, in fact, Serenity Lamb. The story leading up to the suicide is told through the eyes of young Henry, Libby’s missing older brother. Another storyline follows Lucy, a homeless mother of two who is just trying to get herself home to England after 25 years in France. But all of these stories come crashing together in an amazing conclusion that left me a little shook. I finished in 2 days. 

Discover Your CliftonStrengths by Gallup and Tom Rath (188 pages). I was asked to read this book in preparation for being on a board next year. Fortunately, after taking a survey to determine my strengths, I then only had to read the parts of the book that applied to me. So I really only read about 50 or so pages. I finished in less than 1 day (because I was asked to). 

Becoming Odyssa by Jennifer Pharr Davis (300 pages). I had the pleasure of listening to Jennifer share some of her story at a wellness retreat. She is awe inspiring!  Fresh out of college, Jennifer decided she wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail (despite never really hiking before). Over the next 4 1/2 months and 2175 miles, she adopted the trail name Odyssa and began to figure out who she was. While her body was battered and her resolve sometimes faltered, her faith in her Lord never did. The book was fantastic, as I do love a good trail journal. I finished in 4 days. 

The Pursuit of Endurance by Jennifer Pharr Davis (302 pages). This is (sort of) the story of Jennifer’s 3rd thru-hike. Her record breaking thru-hike. But it’s predominantly the stories of other hikers and their journeys. In 2011, Jennifer broke the record for the fastest thru-hike (46 days). That record has since been broken, but only by men. Making her the current record holder for females on the AT. That record also landed her the title of National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year. But unlike the other book, this one focus more on other people- her idols, her mentors and her friends. She looks more into the science and finesse of endurance athletes and FKT (fastest known time) holders. I finished in 4 days. 

Briar Rose by Jane Yolan (261 pages). A reimagined fairy tale that is also a holocaust  story?  Yes please!  Becca’s beloved grandmother always told her the story of Briar Rose (aka Sleeping Beauty). But her version was very different than Grimm’s. When Gemma gives a deathbed confession that SHE herself is the Briar Rose of her story, Becca goes on a quest to learn her family’s history.  This quest took her to Poland and the extermination camp of Chelmno (which I had never heard of). A camp that was housed in an old schloss, aka a castle. A camp where 320,000 people were killed in a 3 year time span. While in Poland, Becca meets Josef Potocki, who helps her finally piece together all of her Gemma’s past. I finished in 3 days. 

The Astor Orphan by Alexandra Aldrich (257 pages). The Astor family fortune began with John Jacob Astor, a German gentleman who moved to America and took over the fur trade. One of his sons, William, inherited the bulk of the fortune. When he married Margaret Armstrong, they moved into her family home, Rokeby. That home has stayed in the Astor family line. Alexandra, the fifth great granddaughter of William and Margaret, grew up in this house. This is her memoir. Kind of combination of Glass Castles and Grey Gardens.  While Alexandra isn’t technically an orphan, there was one generation of Astors (William’s 11 great grandchildren) who were orphaned when their parents died 2 years apart.  One of those orphans was Alexandra’s great grandmother. The Astors had become land rich but money poor. And Alexandra wanted to escape the house that owned her. I finished in 3 days. 

Once Again to Zelda by Marlene Wagman-Geller (276 pages). I’d been looking forward to ordering and reading this one from the moment I heard about it. Each of the 50 chapters is devoted to a different dedication in a work of literature and the story behind it. So fascinating!!  Honestly, I never really pay too much attention to the dedication in a book. I have a feeling I’m going to pay attention from now on. I finished in 5 days. 

Frog Music by Emma Donoghue (403 pages, including references and glossaries). Donoghue does historical fiction so well. This was the story of Jenny Bonnet, an infamous cross dresser in San Francisco, who was murdered in a saloon on September 14, 1876.  Her friend, burlesque dancer/prostitute Blanche Beunon, was with her. The murder was never solved. So Donoghue took it upon herself to come up with an option. All of the characters were historical figures and somehow connected to the murder. But with no murderer ever found, I loved this version of what could have happened. I finished in 4 days. 

Poison by Sarah Pinborough (178 pages). Another reimagined fairy tale this month. This one was Snow White. For the most part, it was very similar to the original telling. With a few fun exceptions. For example, the author gave a little more background in the Evil Queen’s lineage- she decided to make her the granddaughter of the witch from Hansel and Gretl!  But the best part, to me, was the author’s  imagining of what happens after they kiss and “live happily ever after.”  Let’s face facts- that’s the part we all want to know about. And this author gave us a very different ending than I expected!  I finished in 4 days. 

This month’s favorite was... Where the Crawdads Sing. With Briar Rose coming in second. 

Leaping into February’s reading

This month was pretty good. I read 7 books. A total of 2,493 pages. So an average of 8 pages a day. Not too shabby!

The Last Letter from Juliet by Melanie Hudson (415 pages). This was my first Once Upon a Book Club book. And I was sooooo excited about it!  A new book AND gifts?!  Yes please!  Juliet Caron was literally born to fly. She was her father’s copilot almost as soon as she could walk!  But when the War came, she wanted to do her part. While women weren’t allowed in the RAF, they were allowed in the ATA (Britain’s version of Fly Girls). Juliet met the love of her life, Edward Nancarrow, the week she married another man. While her husband was one of her best friends, both he and Juliet realized they were not in love with each other. While their country was torn apart by war, Juliet and Edward vowed to love each other all of their days. Fast forward to Juliet’s 100th birthday. Katherine Henderson, young and widowed, has come to stay at Juliet’s cottage for Christmas. She reads Juliet’s memoirs. And has the pleasure of meeting Juliet. She soon remembers that life is for the living. I loved this book!  We had a family friend who had been a Fly Girl during the War. So I love anything that reminds me of her. But this book made me laugh and cry. I finished in 1 day. 

You by Caroline Kepnes (422 pages). Yes, I was obsessed with the Netflix series. So I kind of already knew what was going to happen. Didn’t make the book any less enjoyable!  The book was actually much raunchier than the series (which I didn’t like). And some of the details were slightly different. But other than that, Joe’s obsession with Beck was just as creepy. Maybe even creepier. I finished in 8 days. 

The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory (337 pages). This book made me wish it was summertime. It was a perfect pool book!  I’m not going to say this was the third of a trilogy (The Proposal and The Wedding Date) but it was more of the story. Maddie and Theo are Alexa’s (The Wedding Date) best friends. And they hate each other!  Until one night, when the sparks fly. And they begin a clandestine affair that they promise will end once Alexa is married. But in true chick lit fashion, they end up falling for each other, despite their protestations to the contrary. I finished in 3 days. 

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan (396 pages). Back to my first love, historical fiction. Joy Davidman Gresham was a married mother of two in upstate New York when she started a correspondence with CS (Jack) Lewis. Joy, just like Jack himself, came to God later in life (she was actually a Jewish atheist first). Joy finally found the strength to leave her abusive, alcoholic, cheating husband and take her two sons to England. She and Jack initially get married in a civil ceremony so that she can stay in England. But when Joy learns she has cancer and not much longer to live, Jack realizes how much he loves her and moves heaven and earth to get them married in the eyes of the Church of England. They had 3 beautiful years together (a total miracle). And Jack even adopted her sons (one of whom is very involved with the estate of CS Lewis). I loved every second of this novel. It was one that I both wanted to finish immediately and to drag out and savor for as long as possible. I finished in 8 days. 

You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott (340 pages). Fifteen year old Devon Knox is an elite gymnast, ready to qualify to be a Senior Elite and eventually make it to the Olympics. And her parents are willing to make whatever sacrifices they have to for her. But when a member of their close knit gym family is killed in a hit and run accident, things start changing at their gym. As the criminal investigation goes on, the Knoxes learn truths about their daughter. And their willingness to do whatever it takes for her to succeed is truly put to the test. I finished in 3 days. 

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty (388 pages). I do love some Liane Moriarty!  Sophie is nearly 40, unmarried and childless. But she receives the shock of her life. Her exboyfriend’s aunt has left Sophie her house in her will. Aunt Connie, who Sophie only met a handful of times. But Sophie is ecstatic to be moving to a lovely house on Scribbly Gum Island, home of the famously unsolved Munro Baby Mystery. Everyone on the island (all of whom are family members) seem to have their own secrets. And eventually all of the secrets come out. I really enjoyed this. In fact, I think there’s only been one Moriarty novel I haven’t loved!  I finished in 3 days. 

Duplex by Kathryn Davis (195 pages). I’m not really sure WHAT I just read. It was kind of a scintilla, adult fairy tale word salad. I even tried to find a summary of it to figure it out. To no avail. Nothing really could describe it. But I’ll try. There’s a sorcerer. And families (human and robot) living on an idyllic street. There’s love and loss.  There’s references to one of my favorite musicals, Brigadoon.  It was weirder than weird. It was word salad in a story version. I finished in 4 days. 

This month’s favorite was...Becoming Mrs. Lewis. 

It's 2020, where will my reading take me this year?

This month was just okay.  I finally got the shelves cleaned off, so that's something to celebrate.  I read 5 books, at a total of 1,721 pages.  Which is an average of 55 1/2 pages a day.  Nothing spectacular, but totally acceptable. 

Mythology by Edith Hamilton (330 pages).  I have always loved mythology.  As a child, I had a large book of myths.  And read it repeatedly.  While some might wonder about a girl who grew up in a Christian household (and is a strong Christian herself) being allowed to read mythology, I had parents who encouraged my hunger for knowledge.  I didn't learn much new from this, other than some Norse gods and some minor Greek/Roman gods.  But I enjoyed rereading some of my favorite myths in greater detail.  I finished in 6 days.

Leave Her to Heaven by Ben Ames Williams (429 pages).  Richard Harland was a well known author.  On a trip to New Mexico, he met and was quickly wooed by Ellen Berent.  Ellen was a possessive lover, wanting anyone she loved only for herself.  But Harland had a much younger brother named Danny who had lost the use of his legs.  While Harland loved his brother, Ellen hated to share.  When Danny drowned one summer, Harland's feelings for Ellen began to change.  And when their baby was a stillborn, all love was lost.  The next summer, Ellen died during a horrendous gastrointestinal attack.  But years later, when Harland married her cousin-sister Ruth, Ruth is arrested for Ellen's murder.  During the trial, so many truths come out.  About Ellen and her true nature.  About Harland.  Even about Ruth.  I really enjoyed this book.  It was a little old fashioned, having been written in 1944 after all.  But it was really good.  I finished in 7 days.

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle (309 pages).  This was some new age, spiritual "awakening your life's purpose" bologna.  I have no idea why this book was purchased (either by me or for me).  I HATED it.  It was literal torture to read.  But read it I did.  Because at this point, I have to.  Those books have got to get of the shelf!  I got nothing out of this book.  I couldn't tell you what it was about if my life depended on it.  I finished in 6 days.

That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis (382 pages).  This book was one that I got from my grandmother Ruschky.  She loved books.  Unbeknownst to me, it was the third in a trilogy.  But I don't own the others and had no desire to buy them, so just decided to start with the one I had.  It's also the last book I had to read before I can start back to books that haven't been on the shelf for decades!  Mark and Jane Studdock are just an ordinary could, living in Edgestow, England.  Mark is a Fellow at Bracton College and Jane is studying for her PhD.  But their worlds are turned upside down when the National Institute for Coordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E.) wants to buy part of the college, an ancient wood that is believed to hold the grave of Merlin the wizard.  While Mark is dragged deeper into the world of N.I.C.E., Jane is having visionary dreams of events and finds herself deep in the world of the Logres (a strange mix of alien, mythological and Christian culture).  I have always loved how heavy handed Lewis is with mixing his faith into his fiction (Jane must become a Christian in order to truly understand what is happening).  While I didn't 100% enjoy this book, I did enjoy the mixture of faith in there.  I finished in 7 days.

Shocked: My Mother, Schiaparelli and Me by Patricia Volk (271 pages).  The first new book after cleaning off the shelves.  I was so excited!  This was a memoir.  The author adored her mother.  And similarly was enthralled with designer Elsa Schiaparelli.  She attributes who she is as a woman to both of them.  I loved how she compared and contrasted them in each chapter.  It was an easy read.  And as I had never heard of Schiaparelli before, I loved learning about someone new.  Someone who is apparently one of the greatest designers of all time.  I finished in 5 days.

This month's favorite was ... Leave Her to Heaven.

December, and 2019, are over So here’s what I’ve read!

December was a month that just was. I read what I needed to read. And that’s about it. Only 3 books.  But a total of 1,663 pages which is an average of 54 pages per day. So here goes!

The Source by James A. Michener (1088 pages). I’m pretty sure this book was given to me. For two reasons. One- it’s clearly a used book (taped spine, torn cover) and I tend not to buy used books too often. And two- there’s not a snowball’s chance that I actually picked up this book and thought “yes, this seems like my type of book.”  I didn’t like it from the moment I read the first page. But I am cleaning off these shelves and reading stuff I don’t want to read. So it got finished. Basically, it’s several stories in one. All of them connected to the fictional location of Makor in Israel. Stories of Makor’s beginnings in 9800’s BC all the way up to the 1960’s when Makor was the site of an archeological dig. Each chapter represented a different level of Makor’s history. Which was a very interesting way to write the novel, even if I didn’t enjoy all of the stories. I finished in 21 days. 

Francona: The Red Sox Years by Terry Francona and Dan Shaughnessy (343 pages).   As a lifelong member of the Red Sox Nation, this was a great read for me. My dad actually gave it to me after he finished it. Francona was the greatest manager in Sox history. He was the manager who finally broke the Curse of the Bambino with the 2004 Idiots. For any babes all fan, the book was great. I learned a lot about the behind the scenes things that were happening. I finished in 6 days. 

Kate: The Life of Katherine Hepburn by Charles Higham (232 pages). I recently read Hepburn’s own diary from The African Queen.  So it was interesting to read more about her life. She was quite a character- outspoken, liberal, and utterly devoted to Spencer Tracy. I finished in 4 days. Because that’s all that was left in the month. 

This month’s favorite was... Francona. Without a doubt. 

The year in review. I read 91 books. That’s 7 1/2 books a month. And a total of 32,238 pages for an average of 88 pages a day. That’s the most books I’ve read in a year since I started blogging in 2011. Considering the last third of the year was reading books I wasn’t excited about, I’m actually SUPER proud of how many books I read this year!!

Almost a No Read November

So I didn’t read a lot this month, just what I needed to read. Let’s face facts, I’m just trying to struggle through books I clearly didn’t want to read in the first place or I’d have read them long ago. But I read 4 books, at a total of 1,570 pages. So that was an average of 52 pages a day (slightly better than my commitment, but not much. So here we go....

Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor (760 pages).  A Pulitzer Prize winning historical novel about the debacle that was Camp Sumter, aka Andersonville.  I knew nothing about Andersonville prior to reading this book. And in true fashion, I did a little research of my own. Andersonville was a POW camp for Yankees in Georgia. It was in active use starting in 1864. For those of you who know Civil War history, that’s the year before the war ended. During that time, over 45,000 prisoners were there. And a third of them died, mostly of disease. The officer in charge, Captain Henry Wirz, was charged and convicted of war crimes. The book covered a LOT of characters, both historical and fictional. Their stories were fascinating. But there were a few too many storylines for me.  It was well written though. And a truly remarkable novel. I finished in 15 days. 

The Widow’s Guide to Sex and Dating by Carole Radziwill (302 pages). Claire Byrne is 32 when her husband of 9 years, famous sexologist author Charlie Byrne, is killed in a freak accident. And all of a sudden, Claire is left trying to figure out who she is without him. She dates.  She questions life. She falls in love. And she learns that she is enough. I finished in 5 days. 

Clothes Make the Man by Elliott White Springs (433 pages). This ended up on my shelves through inheritance. And when you are friends with the great grandson of the author, you read it!  It was a collection of short stories, essays and letters. I found some fun family history that I had a blast texting my friend about (obviously none of it was news to him).  I finished in 9 days. 

The Captain’s Verses by Pablo Neruda (151 pages, but only half were in English). This was actually a book of poetry. Which is usually not my favorite. But it was on the shelf, so I read it. All of the poems were in both Spanish and English, thus why I wonky read half the book. The poems were love poems and actually not awful. I finished in 2 days. 

This month’s favorite was...The Widow’s Guide. It was just easy and fun. I kind of wish I could’ve read it poolside!

October readings went spookily well!

October ending up being a pretty good reading month over all, cleaning off those shelves.  I read 7 books.  A total of 2,108 pages.  Which is an average of 68 pages per day.  Without further ado, the October books....

The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Prince by Machiavelli, On War by General Carl von Clausewitz and Instructions of His Generals by Frederick the Great (358 pages).  Wow- 4 war books in one.  That's a lot of war booking at one go.  And as I have no plans to go to war or take over a country, I didn't really find it to be very enlightening.  Or exciting.  In fact, this was one of those books that I had to force myself to read.  I mean, I read every word.  But I didn't retain anything.  It was torture.  Much like war itself must be.  I finished in 6 days.

Pocahontas: The Life and the Legend by Francis Mossiker (337 pages).  Poor Pocahontas, forever Disney-fied with all the colors of the wind.  While I definitely knew more about Pocahontas than Disney taught us, there was still a lot I didn't really know about her.  Like the fact that even though she was young, she was still a woman in the eyes of her community.  And there actually may have been a love affair with John smith (although in all likelihood, her saving his life was actually a ritual that adopted him into their tribe rather than an actual threat on his life and therefore they had an intimate relationship that might not have been physical at all).  I think I always thought that Pocahontas' transition to Rebecca was more under duress.  But it seems like she truly enjoyed everything the white Englishmen represented.  And she also seems to have truly loved her husband, John Rolfe (who is the reason tobacco was the cash crop of Virginia).  Sad that she died at such a young age and across the ocean from her home.  I finished in 7 days.

Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber (374 pages).  Mary, the single librarian in a small Louisiana town, has never done anything out of the ordinary.  After the loss of her mother and brother, she finally does- she answers a personal ad for a wife.  Travis, a bachelor rancher in Montana, has just adopted his nephews and niece after his brother and sister in law are killed in a car accident.  He realizes that ranching and being a single dad isn't an easy job.  So when Mary answers his ad, she seems like the answer to his prayers.  And of course, being a romance novel, they really and truly fall in love.  Not without their share of arguments and misunderstandings along the way.  It was easy and cheesy.  King of a nice break from the heavier stuff I'd been reading this month.  I finished in 2 days.

The Making of the African Queen: Or How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind by Katharine Hepburn (129 pages).  Hepburn decided to write a journal about her experience in Africa while filming this movie (which I haven't seen in years).  The subtitle kind of says it all.  Between the weather (always damp and hot) and the conditions, it was a tough go of it.  But she actually seemed like she had a marvelous time.  And the movie was amazing and one she was very proud of.  I kind of want to re-watch it now.  I finished in 2 days. 

The Search for Justice by Robert L. Shapiro (360 pages).  I'm still convinced that OJ killed Nicole and Ron.  Or at least had them killed.  There's not much that will convince me otherwise.  Fortunately, Shapiro doesn't try to convince me of OJ's innocent.  He merely discusses the trial prep and strategy.  Including a lot of behind the scenes things and the misrepresentations in the press.  The prosecution had a tough row to hoe- the DNA evidence was all of the place and the police just tossed procedure right out the window during the investigation.  The defense team did a great job proving reasonable doubt as to OJ's guilt.  I was a senior in high school when the murders took place and a freshman in college when class was halted for the reading of the verdict.  I think I'd have payed closer attention to the whole thing had I already been a lawyer.  So this was an interesting read.  Especially for this former prosecutor.  I finished in 6 days.

The Breaking Point: Hemingway, Dos Passos and the Murder of Jose Robles by Stephen Koch (281 pages, plus 27 pages of notes that I did not read).  This one had a sticker from the Ernest Hemingway House on it.  Which means it's been in my possession for nearly 6 years!  Man, this clearing off of the shelves has been a long time coming.  I was wondering why in the world I bought this book.  And then mentioned it to Popsicle.  Turns out HE bought it and then passed it on to me when he was finished.  Also turns out he didn't enjoy it either.  It was kind of dull.  Long story short- Hem and Dos (another famous author) had been good friends.  To the point that they joined forces to produce/create a film called The Spanish Earth.  But one of Dos' best friends, Jose Robles, was murdered during the Spanish Civil War for some political reason.  And when Hem gleefully told Dos about it and accused Robles of being a fascist traitor, their friendship never recovered.  I put a lot of the blame on Hem- he went through friends the way he went through wives.  No loyalty, no explanations.  The personal stuff about Hem and Dos was interesting.  After all, I find Hem to be one of the most tragic authors in history (even if I don't care for his writing style).  But the political stuff was boring.  I finished in 5 days.

Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin, PhD (242 pages).  The author is an anthropologist.  When she and her husband moved from downtown to the Upper East Side after having their first child, she entered a whole new world.  And decided to study it like an anthropologist would.  The habits, the attitudes, the grooming, the hierarchies.  It was a fun read.  And a world I'm glad I'm not in!  My Louis Vuitton isn't on par with a Birkin!  I finished in 3 days.

This month's favorite was...The Search for Justice.  I know, I'm as shocked as all!

September was vacation month, so I got some good reading done!!

This month was a combination of clean out the ante-library and new books on vacation. Vacation books began with book #3 of the month (yay) and ended with book #12 (sad). But as St Jordi is my witness, I WILL finish all the books in the ante-library this year!  This month, I read 13 books. A total of 5070 pages. An average of 169 pages a day. Man, I love vacation!

Four Past Midnight by Stephen King (732 pages). Four novellas in one book. First up, The Langoliers (234 pages). This novella was turned into a miniseries in the 1990’s (which I remembered was about people disappearing on a flight, an abandoned airport, some weird creatures and the guy who played Cousin Balky). Turns out that was pretty much the book. Obviously, there’s more to the story. But I don’t want to give everything away. Suffice it to say, it does involve a rip in the time space continuum. Second, Secret Window, Secret Garden (147 pages). This one was turned into a Johnny Depp movie in the early 2000’s. All I remembered from it was that Johnny Depp played an author with writers block. And there was a crazy man who accused him of plagiarism. And a beautiful round window that overlooked a garden. Where he ended up burying his ex-wife after he killed her. Not exactly the story that King wrote. Yes, the author had writers block. Yes, he was accused of plagiarism by a crazy man. Who may or may not be a figment if his imagination, ala Fight Club. And yes, he had an ex-wife. But he doesn’t kill her. The story was quite an interesting look at a descent into paranoia and madness. Third, The Library Policeman (195 pages). No prior knowledge of this one from any movies. Sam Peebles is the only insurance agent in a small town. When he is called upon last minute to make a speech at the rotary club, he heads to the library for some books to spice up his speech. The librarian, Ms Lortz, helps him and promises that the Library Police will get him if he doesn’t return the books on time. When he forgets and goes by the library to talk to her, the library is entirely different. And Ms. Lortz doesn’t seem to exist. From friends Dave and Naomi, Sam learns the story of Ms. Lortz. She is most definitely NOT what you think!  Fourth, The Sun Dog (149 pages). This one involved a Polaroid camera. Kevin wanted a Polaroid camera for his 15th birthday. And when he got it, it turned out to be paranormal. Every time a picture was taken, it was never of the subject. It was always of something else. Something terrifying. Stephlen King is a strange, strange man. The books that come out of his brain are crazy. Of course, I’ve seen his house in Maine. Around midnight. And I kid you not- it’s the stuff of haunted houses. I finished in 8 days. 

Chosen by a Horse by Susan Richards (248 pages). This was a memoir. The author was in her 40’s, divorced, and broken by her childhood. But the one thing that brought her joy was her horses. When the SPCA called her about taking in a rescue horse, Susan finds her horsey soulmate. Two broken creatures who help each other heal. It was such a sweet story. I found myself in tears by the end. There is not as pure, as amazing, as the love of an animal. Especially because the horse, Lay Me Down, was the horse version of my parents’ first cat. The cat who was so docile, so loving, so devoted, that her humans could do no wrong. Which made me love this horse even more. I finished in 4 days. 

The Blythes are Quoted by LM Montgomery (520 pages). I am a HUGE fan of anything Maud Montgomery has ever written. I’ve been to Green Gables for Pete’s sake. But until recently, I had NO idea that this, the 9th book in the Anne of Green Gables series, even existed!  In my defense, it wasn’t published until 2009 (she died in 1942). So it’s not like it’s been out there since I first was introduced to Anne. But what a wonderful way to kick off vacation. So this book was in two parts, one set prior to the Great War and the other after. It was a combination of short stories (all of which were published in other short story collections) and Anne’s and Walter’s poems (along with commentary from the Blythes during her nightly readings). The very first poem on the very first page was “The Piper”. The poem Walter wrote during the Great War that posthumously made him famous (see Rilla of Ingleside for more on that). I’m not going to lie, I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t all new, never before published works. But I will never truly be disappointed with anything Maud has written. It’s like a comfortable sweater that you love to curl up in or your favorite chocolate cake that you will never get tired of eating. I finished in 1 day (thank you, travel time). 

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (415 pages). When I found out that Atwood had written a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, I was both excited and skeptical. Would it be as good as the original?  How would she deal with the fact that the tv show has surpassed the original storyline?  Why did I worry?  Atwood is such an amazing author, I never should have doubted her. For this sequel, we fast forward 15 years after Offred (or June if you only watch the show) got into a van with Mayday operatives. The story is told from 3 perspectives- Aunt Lydia (still a high ranking Aunt in Gilead), Agnes (the daughter of a high ranking Commander in Gilead) and Daisy (a teenager living in Canada). Conditions in Gilead are no better. And the country is still up in arms about the kidnapping of Baby Nicole, stolen by her Handmaid mother and taken to Canada (so yes, Atwood is using some of the storyline and character names from the show).  Aunt Lydia’s backstory is great- finding out more about how Gilead became Gilead is fascinating. The way the stories of these three women come together is great. I would be 100% satisfied if they ended the show with this ending. Obviously they’d need to fast forward some. But I’d be okay with that. I finished in 2 days. 

P. S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (337 pages). Sequel to To All the Boys I’ve Loved. They are finishing up filming the sequels to that movie, so I thought I’d read the sequels before watching the movie this time around. Lara Jean and Peter are a full fledged, not faking it couple now.  But things are never smooth in teenaged romances (or any romance for that matter). And when the recipient of one of Lara Jean’s other letters shows up, things get a little complicated. The book was sweet and perfect for a vacation read. I finished in half a day. 

Always and Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han (325 pages). The third and final book in the series. In for a penny, I guess. It’s finally senior year and Lara Jean is perfectly happy. Perfect boyfriend?  Check. Prom?  Check. College applications?  Check. But sometimes plans don’t work out exactly like we want them to. And sometimes that’s for the best. I found yet another reason to love Lara Jean (I feel like I was her in high school, a little nerdy and always up for a night in watching movies. Wait, I’m still her...). But she reveals that her dream guy is Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. Same, Lara Jean. Same. I finished in the other half of a day. 

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian (354 pages). Cassie Bowden is a flight attendant. Who takes advantage of the job by drinking heavily and hooking up with strange men in every new country (although she is equal opportunity and does the same at home in NYC). But one morning, after a blackout bender, she wakes up next to the dead body of last night’s lover. She leaves the hotel without alerting anyone, thinking that she’ll be done with this mess if she can just escape. But she’s now in a bigger mess than she ever thought was possible. Who killed him?  And why did they spare her?  And should they have?  It was pretty twisty and turny, as expected from a Bohjalian novel. I finished in 2 days. 

The Vengeance of Mothers by Jim Fergus (337 pages). This is a sequel to One Thousand White Women (which I loved). Backstory- 1000 white women were promised to the Cheyenne nation in exchange for 1000 horses and a peace treaty (of sorts) in 1873. That part of the novel is actually true. Only it was merely an idea and never happened. These books assume it did. This novel is the journals of Margaret and Susan Kelly, the feisty twins from Chicago who were some of the only survivors of the massacre that killed most of the Brides for Indians, AND Molly McGill, new recruit for the Brides for Indians program. After watching their friends and husbands die, and having both of their sets of twin babies die of hypothermia after the massacre, there was one thing on the twins hearts and minds- vengeance. As for Molly, she is much dismayed to learn that the program is officially dismantled. But she finds that life with the Cheyenne might actually be what she’s needed all along. I finished in 2 days. 

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane (388 pages).  This was Jimmy Fallon’s book club book (although I’d had it on my list to buy before he announced it). Francis and Lena Gleeson and George and Anne Stanhope have known each other for years. From when Francis and George were new recruits on the NYPD to their respective moves to the suburbs that made them next door neighbors. Kate Gleeson (youngest of three girls) and Peter Stanhope (only child) have been best friends from the moment they were born six months apart. But in one tragic moment during eighth grade, the lives of the families forever change. This novel was a fascinating look at how both mental illness and alcoholism effects everyone, the person suffering from it and their family and other people in their circle. I finished in 2 days. 

The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon (308 pages). Historical fiction and I didn’t even know it when I first picked it up!  It was an oppressively hot evening in August of 1930 when NY Supreme Court Justice Joe Crater was seen getting into the back of a cab, never to be heard from again. He left behind three very different, but very important, women. His wife Stella. His maid Maria. And his mistress Ritzi. All of them know something about his disappearance. But none of them are talking. The disappearance of Judge Crater is still one of the most famous missing persons cases- it’s been nearly 90 years and still no one knows what happened to him. But his disappearance did help eventually bring down the political bribery machine that was Tammany Hall. This novel was more of a “this is one option of what could have happened to him” and some made up characters. I finished in 1 day. 

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (343 pages). Tom Sherbourne has returned from the front. And by 1918 has joined up as a lighthouse keeper. He is assigned to Janus Rock, alone on a small island off the coast of southern Australia. But when he meets spirited Isabel, they marry and she joins him. Years pass, with miscarriages and a stillborn marring their perfect life. One night, they discover a dinghy, with a dead man and a very alive baby girl. Isabel quickly decides this child has been sent to take the place of their recent stillborn son. Tom, desperate in his grief for his wife, agrees. After all, the baby is alone in the world. But every baby has a mother. And after years pass, the Sherbournes’ choice reveals all of the lives that were rocked by their decision. I finished in half a day (airports are great places to read). 

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware (308 pages). Nora Shaw is a little shocked to receive an invite to her high school best friend’s hen party. Mostly because they haven’t spoken in over 10 years. But when she shows up with 4 other guests and the bride to be, the hen weekend turns into a nightmare. After too much drinking, Nora ends up in a hospital after a car accident. And someone is dead. It was awesomely twisty and turny. I kind of thought I knew what happened, then doubted it. The. Was a little shocked by the end. I finished in 2 days (I had to spill over to one day after vacation because I still had 100 pages to go). 

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (455 pages). I’m pretty sure I’d read this book in maybe high school (based on the fact that I’d written by name on it and underlined two full ages, with the note “comic, yet serious”). But I had absolutely no recollection of it. So time for (re)read another classic. It’s set during World War II. The main character is bombardier Yossarian. And it covers all of the misadventures of Yossarian and the other men stationed with him during the war. The book is absurd. And dark. And absurd. I can’t say that I liked it.  I did get a giggle out of the character named Major Major Major Major. Yep, a major (promoted solely based on his name) who’s father named him Major Major Major. Insane! I finished in 9 days. 

This month’s favorite was ...The Testaments. Vengeance of Mothers and In a Dark, Dark Wood tied for second. I wanted it to be the “new” L.M. Montgomery, but it wasn’t new stories so it couldn’t win the monthly favorite. Let’s face facts though- Montgomery will be a LIFE favorite, not just a monthly favorite.